The use of vending machines for various consumables is well known. Probably the most common of such venders is the soft drink vending machine in which containers such as cans or bottles of soft drinks are dispensed upon receipt and validation of a tendered value. Vending machines are also known to dispense juice packs, candy bars, and the like. In the past, the containers for such soft drinks have typically been of a uniform size. However, such beverages presently are found in various sizes of containers and vending machines must necessarily be tailored to accomodate a wide range of container sizes and shapes. Previously, vending machines were quite inflexible to receiving, maintaining, and dispensing containers of various sizes. Often, shims or the like were required to modify the storage column and dispensing mechanism for that purpose. Additionally, wasted space often resulted from such modifications, since the storage columns would necessarily be designed to accept the largest container and then be reconfigured downwardly to accept smaller containers--the difference in size between the containers constituting wasted space. Additionally, in the prior art, modifications to vending machines to customize them for particular containers was a laborious and time consuming proposition.
In previously known dispensers, the actual dispensing mechanism has also been particularly troublesome. In the past, rotating motors positioned at the bottom of the storage columns has provided for the ultimate dispensing of a container of the selected beverage. Oftentimes, cam actuation has been involved and timing problems associated with the dispensing have been encountered. Additionally, rotary motors are expensive and given to maintenance and/or reliability problems.
In the past, it has also been generally assumed that when a dispense cycle is actuated for the vending machine, the selected product is actually dispensed--without any confirmation of that activity at all. Based upon that assumption, if a selected container does not actually reach the consumer, the consumer is dissatisfied and the owner of the vending machine is often troubled by a complaint.
There is a need in the art for a modularized vending machine, given to ease of customization for acceptance of soft drinks in various sizes of containers and having a reliable and inexpensive dispensing mechanism.